Contents

During the first muster of the 14th, the interruption of the muster by Captain Keneb's adopted son Grub with a human longbone was taken as an ill omen.[3] Upon Fiddler's suggestion, the sergeants turned the omen around by adopting pieces of human bone, stolen from a local cemetery as an accoutrement to their uniform.[4] Tavore endorsed the veteran's idea[5] and further bolstered it by incorporating a bone in the official standard.[6][7]

After marching from Aren, the 14th met and were joined by the Khundryl Burned Tears, worshippers of Coltaine. Following various raids by the armies of the Whirlwind, the 14th then reached the borders of the holy desert Raraku. Tavore, making use of her Otataral sword, parted the magical whirlwind surrounding the desert, allowing the army to enter.

During his brief tenure as Captain, Ranal reorganized the squads, attaching the 9th, 11th and 12th squads, medium infantry, as well as the heavies of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd squads to the marines of the 9th Company to form discreet fighting units.[8] When Gamet returned to his position as Fist, he decided to leave the arrangements in place.[9]

The Battle of Raraku was somewhat anticlimactic. Despite seemingly being outnumbered, the plan for the battle at the Pan'arak Oasis involved almost a third of the 14th to guard avenues of retreat for the enemy forces.[10] On the eve of battle, a legion of ghosts decimated the Whirlwind troops and slew Korbolo Dom's Dogslayers. The next morning, Adjunct Tavore defeated Sha'ik in personal combat and Dom was delivered into the Malazan hands by Pearl and Lostara Yil. Taking charge, Leoman sent the Whirlwind remnants fleeing for Y'Ghatan. The 14th was only able to engage Leoman's retreating army in small skirmishes as the bulk of the Malazan troops had to climb to safety to avoid the sudden flooding of the Raraku desert.

The 14th Army slowly and carefully pursued the retreating Whirlwind Army through dust storms and difficult terrain.[11][12] Feeling cheated of full vengeance and a final resolution against their enemy, the 14th was miserable and angry. Feuds and altercations broke out among an army that wanted blood.[12]

A new contingent of recruits and officers joined the 14th during the march to Y'Ghatan.[13][14] After the second fall of Y'Ghatan, during which some 40 soldiers managed to escape by crawling through the buried ruins of the old city,[15] the 14th became known as "the Bonehunters".[16][17]

They marched to Sotka Fork for their rendezvous with Admiral Nok's fleet. While travelling by boat to return to the Empire, they encountered the Perish Grey Helms who joined up with them.

The soldiers, remaining loyal to Tavore despite their ouster from the Empire, followed her to the continent of Lether where they invaded the Letherii Empire which had been taken over by the Tiste Edur and was ruled by their emperor Rhulad Sengar. This was in answer to the Edur wiping out the non-Edur inhabitants of the Sepik Kingdom which was an Imperial principality and the northernmost protectorate of the Malazan Empire.[18] Tavore split her forces, with the Marines going overland fighting a guerrilla war and the rest of the army going by ship, via Second Maiden Fort to the capital Letheras.

Invasion of Letheras by slaine69 left to right: Bottle, Corabb, Fiddler

The 14th had seen profound changes since Malaz City. Sorcery was established as primary means of communication and all squad mages were now able to perform certain rituals to affect camouflage, to swallow sound and confuse scent, indicating that Tavore had planned the invasion a long time ahead. In preparation of travelling and fighting at night, the Marines had, for the previous month, gradually reversed their sleep cycle on board ship. The transport ships which had conveyed them ashore, where burned after they had disembarked. The Marines had been told to avoid the Letherii and concentrate on Edur targets.[19]

Following the death of the Edur emperor, Rhulad Sengar, the combined Edur and Letherii forces crumbled beneath the combined forces of the 14th and their allies, the Perish Grey Helms, and the Khundryl. The Marines were first into Letheras.

While en route through the Wastes, the army stumbled upon a group of K'Chain Nah'ruk who were searching for the last hive of K'Chain Che'Malle. The reptilians decided to eliminate the human forces as they were in the way. Following the events of Dust of Dreams, it was uncertain which members remained alive after the battle.

Adjunct Tavore arranged for a new standard for the 14th after the sergeants successfully turned a bad omen. The border of the standard was a woven braid of the imperial magenta and dark grey. On the yellow ochre panel, a grimy, thin-limbed figure held up a bone, the details in shades of dun colours were hardly visible, looking like a defiant figure standing before a sandstorm.[20][21]

After the siege of Y'Ghatan, Tavore presented Faradan Sort and Sinn with a sigil which Bottle described as: "...in silver, a city wall over which rose ruby flames, and the sloped tel beneath that wall, a mass of gold human skulls. The echo of the Bridgeburners' old sigil was not accident – no, it was sheer genius. T'amber’s genius." This design was immediately much copied by the rest of the soldiers as handmade badges sewn on their cloaks in silver, crimson, and gold.[22][23]

(Fist Gamet, commander of the 8th Legion - injured in earlier raid, then died at Raraku)

Fist Keneb, promoted to acting Fist from Captain of the 9th Company to replace Gamet after the latter was injured.[25] Briefly rescinded upon Gamet taking up the post again.[26] After Gamet's death the position became permanent.[27]

The 9th Company consisted of 24 squads: 3 squads of heavies, 3 squads of marines and 18 squads of medium infantry.[28][29]

(Captain Ranal promoted to Captain on the March to Raraku, he was formerly Lieutenant of the (4th, 5th and 6th squads). The promotion was rescinded when Gamet took up the mantle of Fist again.[26] Died at Raraku).[30]

Captain Kindly briefly served as the 9th's captain (with Pores as lieutenant) after Raraku until the appointment of Faradan Sort.[31]

Captain Faradan Sort - joined the 14th as Captain during the march to Y'Ghatan[32]

The following individuals were known members of the 14th army, now referred to as the 'Bonehunters', in the time between the battle at Y'Ghatan and the battle against the K'Chain Nah'ruk. For soldiers, if no further reference is given, the names are from Dramatis Personae, Reaper’s Gale.